


Running in Circles

by auddity



Category: Freier Fall | Free Fall (2013)
Genre: Anal Sex, Coming Untouched, Hurt Kay, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-10-20 11:04:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10661265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auddity/pseuds/auddity
Summary: While on duty, Marc stumbles across Kay at a hospital in a nearby town. Will they be able to reconnect after the way they left things?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Had this in the works for a while, but was inspired to continue by the official announcement of a sequel! My take on what happens after the events of the film. If you haven't already, check out their fundraising campaign at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/free-fall-2-freier-fall-2

Marc sighed and leaned his head back on the headrest, gripping the steering wheel as he exhaled. It had been a long night, and he desperately wanted to head for home, but he couldn’t quite summon the mental strength to drive right now. _Just a little rest_ , he thought, _and then I’ll start the car._ His unit had been requested to assist on a raid near Stuttgart. The raid itself had been a success, but there had been a few injuries, including a colleague who’d taken a hard hit to the back of the head and had to be escorted to the local hospital. Although filling out all the necessary paperwork was a headache, Marc guessed it was nothing compared to what his coworker was feeling right now. Either way, he was well and truly exhausted. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard; almost three in the morning - nearly twelve hours since they’d left the station. He brought the keys to the ignition, but when he looked out the windshield something caught his eye that stopped him in his tracks. Or rather, _someone._

Across the abandoned parking lot, Kay had just exited the hospital. Marc craned his neck to see if he was with anyone, but the only person he could see was the orderly who’d wheeled Kay through the lobby. He turned to reenter the hospital, obviously not concerned with where Kay went now that he was out of his care.

Kay walked slowly, with a limp he tried valiantly to hide. He raised his phone and Marc breathed a sigh of relief. He was calling someone to pick him up. Marc tried not to dwell on _who_ Kay was calling, merely focus on the fact that at least Kay had a ride home from the hospital. Marc knew he should leave. Whatever trouble Kay was in, it was no longer his business - he’d seen to that - but he couldn’t make himself turn the key and start his car. What had happened to Kay? Who had done that to him? Had he been on duty when he got his injuries? While Marc knew sitting in a darkened parking lot staring at his ex was more than a little creepy - it was pathetic - he worried that if he started the engine now, he’d draw Kay’s attention and have to explain the whole situation. He opted to wait it out, at least until Kay’s ride showed up.

While he waited, he familiarized himself with the sight of Kay. He soaked up every detail, knowing that this would probably be the last time he glimpsed him. Seeing him here was already a coincidence of cosmic proportions. Marc’s heart pounded like it used to on one of their runs, like it did whenever he’d seen Kay, running or not. He took in his blond hair, slightly longer than when he’d seen him last and glinting golden under the street light. He watched Kay shift his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, catching him wince more than once as his injuries complained. He watched his hands twitch, fingers nervously fiddling with his phone or tugging his leather jacket this way or that. Marc watched Kay’s tongue dart out to wet his lips, watched his brow furrow and his eyes scan the drive for an approaching car. Marc etched all these things into his memory, storing them next to the echo of Kay’s laugh and the feel of his body beneath his - things he’d locked away until now.

The glare of headlights interrupted Marc’s thoughts; he shook his head and shifted in his seat, anxious to see who had come to meet Kay. His heart sank when he realized, Kay had called a _taxi_ , although he couldn’t deny a perverse feeling of relief that Kay’s muscled boyfriend hadn’t shown up to his rescue. Marc made a decision: he would follow the taxi. It may not be wise, but he acknowledged that fact and immediately dismissed it. It didn’t matter if he made the smart choice, so long as it was the right one. He couldn’t turn away now without knowing if Kay was alright, especially not with the afterimage of Kay struggling to enter the taxi burning behind his eyes. Marc started the car and tailed the taxi at a distance.

* * *

 

Marc curled his hand into a fist, grimacing at the slickness of his sweaty palm, and knocked on Kay’s door. He’d followed the cab to Kay’s new apartment, watched in horror as Kay hobbled up the stairs and finally made it into the door. He’d waited as long as he possibly could before bolting from the car and launching himself towards Kay’s door. Now that he was here though, he doubted his eagerness. Why would Kay even want to see him? Marc let out a shaky breath as the long minutes stretched on in silence and still, no answer at the door.

“Kay?” Marc called hesitantly, his voice wavering slightly. He cleared his throat and tried again, “Kay, it’s Marc. I saw you at the hospital and I...I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

Only silence in response.

“Kay!” he called, louder still, “Kay, answer me, please. You can tell me you don’t want to see me and I’ll go. I’ll get right back in my car and you’ll never see me again, but I need to know that you’re okay.” He pounded on the door now, “Kay! If you don’t answer I’m going to have to break down the door - you know I can!”

The door opened abruptly and Marc nearly tumbled over the threshold, propelled by a misplaced swing of his fist. He caught himself and backed up to face Kay. His cheek was badly bruised and he had several stitches near his hairline. He was wearing a carefully constructed nonplussed expression, but Marc could see pain peeking through the cracks.

“Quite a display,” Kay uttered, “Hope the neighbors didn’t call the cops.”

“I’m sorry,” Marc flushed, “I didn’t mean to raise my voice. I just-”

“Wanted to make sure I was okay, yeah I heard that. Well thanks for checking up on me, but I’m fine.”

Marc was taken aback. Maybe this had been a mistake after all. But he didn’t like the way Kay gripped the doorway, like he couldn’t stand up on his own. Marc’s hand twitched, but he fought the urge reach out to Kay. “Okay, well,” he fumbled for the right words, “now that that’s done, I guess I’ll...just go.”

Marc started to turn but Kay’s hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. Marc spun around, brow arched in surprise. “It’s late,” Kay explained, “The roads here are hard to navigate at night. You can stay if you want, until the sun comes up.”

Without another word, Kay shuffled slowly inside and Marc followed hesitantly. Somehow he’d expected Kay’s new apartment to look just like his old one, like stepping into a memory, but it was foreign to him. He felt like an intruder the moment he shut the door. Marc followed Kay down the darkened hallway. Kay collapsed on the bed in the room at the end of the hall and although Kay curled up facing away from him, Marc took the open door as an invitation to enter. Every fiber of Marc’s body screamed for him to join Kay, to take him in his arms and kiss each cut and each bruise, but he stalled, instead looking around the room. It was cluttered, he noticed, as if Kay had never fully unpacked. It didn’t look like a bedroom, more like a quick place to crash before facing the next day. Marc wondered if Kay was running as much as he was; every spare moment he spent jogging, taking care to avoid their old route through the woods. Marc tried to convince himself that if he just kept moving, he wouldn’t have time to think, he’d forget what happened with Kay and all the mistakes he’d made. But that was stupid, he was here wasn’t he? After all that running he’d end up coming full circle - Kay looked much like he did the last day Marc saw him, the day he’d returned his key.

“Tell me,” Marc worked up the nerve to sit down and his fingers ghosted over Kay’s arm; he wanted so much to touch him.

There was a long silence before Kay spoke. Marc almost stood, convinced he’d lost his last chance, but _finally_ Kay rolled over to look up at him. “I…” he cleared his throat, “I slept with another guy. In my new unit.”

Marc tried to mask the sting he felt and finally placed a hand on Kay’s forearm, lightly brushing his thumb against Kay’s skin.

“It was at a club over the weekend,” he continued, “And he was fine about it. He even kissed me goodnight afterwards. But when I was leaving work today the same guy cornered me in the parking lot with a group of his friends. He said he saw me kissing a man over the weekend. The bastard failed to mention it was him, and called me disgusting and a faggot.” Kay chuckled a little, “So I told him he didn’t seem to mind it when I was fucking him.”

“Kay,” Marc sighed.

“I wasn’t going to just take his bullshit!”

Marc shook his head, “You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“They damn near tried. The sergeant found me an hour later as he was leaving and had the decency to take me to the hospital, but he didn’t stick around. I have a feeling there won’t be any ‘discrimination will not be tolerated’ speech like in our old unit, for all the good that did.”

“So he’s not going to report it?” Marc asked, shocked.

“Not everyone is as understanding as you.”

“You have to get out of there, request a transfer,” Marc insisted.

“Three transfers in a year? No one will have me, they’ll think there’s something wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Marc said a little too forcefully. Kay’s eyes widened and Marc realized he was squeezing Kay’s arm now. He quickly let go and ran his hands through his hair. “I’ll kill them, I’ll fucking kill them for what they did to you.”

“Marc, no-”

“They can’t just get away with this!”

“There are always going to be guys like this,” Kay said softly, “no matter where I go.”

Marc brought his hand up to brush his fingers against Kay’s swollen cheek; his heart beat fast now, “I wish I could protect you from this.”

“It’s not your job to protect me.”

“Yes it is.” Marc swallowed hard and looked him in the eyes, “That’s what you do when you love someone.”

Kay was visibly shaken. He recovered quickly though and shifted out of reach. He struggled slightly to sit up and held his head in his hands. “I can’t do this with you. Not again.”

“Kay, please,” Marc begged, moving closer to him, “I made a mistake. I wasn’t ready before, but I am now.”

“No!” Kay whirled around, pushing Marc off of the bed in a way that must have hurt his bruised ribs. “I loved you! I loved you and you pushed me away. So you don’t get to just walk back in here and assume that everything’s going to be okay. That it’s all just going to go back to the way it was. The only way I’ve survived these past months is to remind myself every day that you didn’t love me back. At least not enough for you to be with me.” Kay paused to catch his breath, hot tears were running down his face now, his cool facade completely discarded. “When they were kicking the shit out of me, I kept seeing your face. Because, yeah, that guy screwed me over and beat me up, but he was nothing to me. What you did to me was much worse. I gave you my heart and you threw it back at me.” He rose clumsily to his feet, leaning against Marc momentarily before he pushed him towards the door. “Get out,” he screamed and shoved Marc harder. “Get out of my house!” Marc struggled to keep them both from tumbling to the ground. He didn’t try to stop Kay’s blows, he merely allowed Kay to continue until his movements slowed.

“I’ll go,” Marc said softly, “but only if that’s truly what you want.” He gripped Kay’s forearms and Kay met his gaze. “Look me in the eyes and tell me to go.”

Kay hesitated. “Marc…” he whispered.

Marc didn’t answer, he just pulled him close, afraid he’d aggravate Kay’s injuries, but even more afraid to let go. “You left me,” Kay whispered, clinging to him now. “You left me alone so I had to get out. I couldn’t stay...It was too painful…”

“I know,” Marc murmured into his hair. Kay was right; although he’d been the one to leave, Marc was the one who’d abandoned him first. He’d turned his back on Kay, all because he was too cowardly to face what he felt for him. “But I’m here now. I’m right here.”

Marc gently tilted Kay’s face upwards to look at him. His blue eyes sparkled despite being swollen and Marc though he’d never looked so beautiful. Slowly, he kissed Kay’s forehead, his temple, his brow. Kay caught Marc’s jaw in his hands and crashed his lips into Marc’s, kissing him hungrily.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Marc mumbled through the kiss.

Kay silenced him by deepening the kiss. He nipped his top lip until Marc relented and he licked into his mouth. Marc flushed at the familiar feeling of Kay taking control and let him dominate the kiss. Marc backed them up and guided them to the bed. Kay kissed him eagerly, but Marc could feel the exhaustion behind his feverish movements. He lay Kay gently down on the bed, careful to avoid putting his weight on Kay’s torso.

Marc broke away to mouth at Kay’s neck, eliciting a small gasp that bled into a moan when Marc sucked harder. Marc smirked and continued to his collarbone, gaining momentum. Marc brought his hand to his hip, but Kay let out a sharp cry and Marc froze. “Shit, sorry,” he swore.

Kay shook his head, “It’s okay,” he gasped, “don’t stop.”

“No,” Marc argued, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“It’s not that bad,” he shrugged and tried to pull Marc back down, “Come on, pussy.”

Marc wasn’t convinced, “Kay, show me.”

Kay’s face clouded and his expression became unreadable. Marc reached to lift his shirt, but Kay shifted to evade his grasp.

“Hey,” Marc sat up and cupped Kay’s jaw, “it’s okay.” Kay turned away from him, but Marc kept a firm hand on him and slowly lifted his head to look at him. “It’s okay,” he whispered again, “it’s okay.” Marc reached for the hem of his shirt, still not taking his eyes off Kay’s. Kay tried to hide it, but he shuddered under Marc’s touch, whether from pain or shame, Marc couldn’t tell.

Marc lifted Kay’s shirt to reveal a patchwork of bruises ranging from deep purple to violent red. “Kay,” Marc gasped, fighting the urge to touch him, wanting to soothe his broken body but knowing it would only cause him more pain. Kay let out a strangled sob; Marc’s gaze forced him to finally acknowledge the extent of his injuries.

“Shhh,” Marc kissed him softly. The Kay he’d known only months ago was confident, almost to the point of being cocky, and walked with a swagger in his step, as if he were in on a secret the rest of the world had yet to learn. The man before him was just an echo of that. As much as it pained him, Marc had to admit that the change he saw in Kay was partly his fault. He reevaluated Kay’s bruises, this time with a more clinical eye.

“Do you have an ice pack?”

Kay nodded, “In the freezer.”

Marc started toward the kitchen, but turned back to steal a kiss. Kay’s mood lifted instantly and Marc felt his heart soar. “Just couldn’t resist,” he whispered as he pulled away. Kay chuckled and swatted at him before he was out of reach.

Marc feigned outrage, “Is that any way to treat your nurse?”

“That depends,” Kay called to him from the bedroom, “You could end up smothering me with that thing for all I know.”

Marc returned with the ice and a damp towel, “Well I guess you’re just going to have to trust me.”

He kneeled on the bed and helped Kay to sit up. All their laughter subsided when Kay groaned in effort just to achieve a sitting position. “Hey,” he panted before Marc began, “I trust you.”

Marc looked him in the eyes and nodded wordlessly. He arranged the pack on the area of Kay’s torso that looked the worst. Then he placed the towel over it and draped it across his ribcage to help distribute the cold. He hoped he’d done the right thing, he was only going off a basic first aid class all police recruits had to take during training. As far as Marc knew, the main priority with rib injuries was to get the swelling down. Afterwards heat could be applied to help the muscles heal.

Once he’d gotten everything placed the way he wanted, Marc eased himself behind Kay and settled them into the bed. “Easy, easy,” Marc said when Kay failed to stifle a groan, but it was quickly replaced by a contented sigh as Kay relaxed against him. They lay in silence for a while until Kay began to shift above Marc. He grew increasingly agitated until Marc asked, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Kay mumbled, “sorry if I woke you.”

“No it’s okay,” Marc murmured into his temple, “I wasn’t asleep yet. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Kay huffed out a sigh and stretched against him, “It’s nothing, it’s probably stupid.”

“What is it?”

Kay paused as if to speak, then thought better of it.

“Kay,” Marc encouraged, “you can tell me, whatever it is.”

“It’s just…” Kay breathed against his neck, burying his face into Marc’s shoulder, “I can’t remember if I locked the door behind you when you came in.”

Marc frowned, he hadn’t been expecting that.

“You don’t have to check - it’s stupid,” Kay insisted, but Marc could feel him trembling against him now.

“It’s alright, I’ll go.”

“Are you sure?” Kay sounded relieved.

Marc placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “It’s no problem,” he slipped out from under Kay as slowly as he could, careful not to upset his injuries. Marc stumbled down the darkened hallway, navigating by the light of the street lamps alone. When he made it to the door he swiftly turned the lock and headed back to the bedroom.

“Was it locked?” Kay asked anxiously.

Marc climbed back into bed with him. “False alarm,” he kissed his brow, “nothing to worry about.” Marc felt Kay melt into him and both their breathing slowed as they settled into bed. Now that they were comfortable, Marc felt the pull of exhaustion again; it was only a matter of time before the two succumbed to sleep. Marc couldn’t let these precious moments with Kay slip away. He roused himself and forced himself to speak.

“Have you been here ever since you left town?”

“Mhmmm,” Kay moaned sleepily.

“You didn’t go far,” Marc pointed out.

“Wanted to keep tabs on you.”

“Really?”

Kay smiled, “Nah, I’m just fucking with you.”

Marc huffed a laugh, but he didn’t quite buy Kay’s words. After they’d broken up, Kay didn’t have anything or anyone tying him down. If he’d wanted to get away, he could’ve gone anywhere - Berlin, Munich, or even out of the country. He could’ve been halfway around the world by now if he’d truly wanted to get away. Marc once again realized how fragile this thing between them was. He was playing with fire and the slightest misstep could set the whole thing ablaze.

Kay interrupted his thoughts, “How’s your son?”

Marc grinned involuntarily at the thought of his son. “Benno. He’s great, he’s getting so big. Everyone told us he’d cry all the time, but I swear he laughs more than he cries. Kid’s going to have a great sense of humor.”

“Unlike his father,” Kay joked, “Is he talking yet?”

“No, but he started crawling and he’s tearing up the house. I had to spend a whole weekend baby-proofing the place.”

“Are you still next door to your parents?” Kay kept his tone casual, but there was an edge of anxiety in his voice.

“No,” Marc gave Kay’s arm a reassuring squeeze, “I moved out. Pretty much right after you left actually.”

“So you’re not with Bettina anymore?”

Marc got the feeling Kay had been waiting to ask this. “No, we split up. She moved out too, a little after I did. She found a place near Frank and Claudia, so they can help her out with Benno. I think she feels better asking them for help than my parents.”

“She lives there by herself?” Kay asked.

“I help her with the rent.”

Kay looked up at him, surprised. “How do you afford that? Helping Bettina and paying for your own place?”

Marc sighed, “It’s tight. I stayed at the academy for a bit until I could find an apartment.”

“Ha!” Kay chuckled, “How was that?”

“It was good for me actually,” Marc said sincerely, “I ran a lot. Quit smoking while I was there. It was easier to focus being back there. The worst part was not seeing Benno.”

“Do you see him more now?”

“Yeah, I have him every other weekend. I wish it were more, but we’re both trying to get our lives together. I’m just glad Bettina trusts me enough to allow me that much.”

“He’s your son too!” Kay protested.

“But I’m the one who broke up our family,” Marc countered. Kay fell silent at that. “Hopefully when things calm down I’ll be able to see him more, especially as he gets older.” Marc paused, hesitating, “I want you to meet him, spend time with him. I want you to get to know him, he really is amazing.”

Kay exhaled audibly and scrubbed his hand over his face. “I’m sure he is Marc, but do you really think Bettina would go for that?”

“She’ll have to,” Marc said brazenly.

“Marc,” Kay began to argue with him.

“I’m serious Kay, if she wants me in Benno’s life she's going to have to accept that you're a part of that.” Marc took in Kay’s solemn expression. “Unless… you don't want that anymore.”

Kay huffed out a sigh, “I don't know Marc. Part of the reason I left is because I realized you're always going to have other priorities in your life. Benno, Bettina, even your parents, they're always going to come first for you.”

“That’s not true-” Marc protested.

“It is. Even if you don’t want it to be.”

Marc fell silent. Kay was right, he knew he was, but he couldn't let Kay go, not after they'd finally found each other again.

“I still love you,” Kay whispered, “but I can't ask you to choose between me and your family - between me and your son. He needs you, especially now, and I won't be the one to take you away from him.”

Marc could feel his control of the situation slipping; this wasn't how this was supposed to go. “Kay,” he whispered, “I love you. I never stopped.”

Kay shivered against him and breathed, “I'm beginning to realize that's not always enough.”

Marc fought back a sob as he held Kay closer. He drifted off to the rhythm of Kay’s breathing and the intoxicating scent of his hair.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff and some smut. Not so experienced writing the sexy times, so hopefully it's alright!
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and comments - keep 'em coming!

Kay woke with a start that sent pain searing through his torso.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” a voice soothed, “It was just a nightmare. You’re safe. You’re safe with me.”

Kay twisted away from the hands that were on him, further aggravating his ribs. The heat of the body around him was suffocating and he fought it off groggily.

“Kay,” the voice sounded more urgent now, more forceful, “Kay it’s me, it’s Marc. Try to calm down, take deep breaths.”

Marc? Marc was here - how could that be? He’d lost Marc, lost him to a world that would never forgive Kay for not being a part of it. Yet when Kay opened his eyes and blinked away his panic, Marc’s face came into focus. “Marc,” Kay gasped and allowed Marc to cradle him against his chest. Now that his heart rate had slowed he could feel the adrenaline fleeing his body, leaving him shaking and disoriented.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Marc murmured a hushed refrain while Kay mimicked the rise and fall of his chest, trying to steady his own ragged breathing. Once he’d calmed down, Marc pulled away to look at him, _to assess the damage_ , Kay thought bitterly.

“Are you alright?” Marc asked. There was nothing but concern in his eyes and while Kay appreciated the lack of pity in his tone, he hated feeling so weak, so out of control. Judging by the look on Marc’s face, neither of them had realized how much Kay had been affected by the events of last night.

“I’ll be fine,” Kay managed to get out, but his voice sounded thin even to his own ears. Marc ran soothing hands down his arms, through his hair, and Kay felt some of the tension leave his body. “Come here,” he whispered. Marc leaned down to kiss him and Kay met him eagerly. He took what he needed from Marc and Marc gave it freely. Kay gripped Marc’s nape and pulled him close. He tried wordlessly to convey how grateful he was that Marc was there with, that he didn’t have to go through this alone. Their movements slowed and Marc shifted so he was lying next to Kay, fingers still reassuringly running through his hair.

Kay turned to face him. The morning light was streaming through the window behind him and it nearly took Kay’s breath away. “I wasn’t sure if you’d still be here,” Kay admitted.

“Of course I’m still here.”

“I guess I’m just not used to it,” Kay explained, “This is the first time we’ve spent the night together.”

Kay watched the shock register in Marc’s expression and then quickly melt into sadness. He immediately regretted what he’d said. He hadn’t meant to accuse Marc of anything, only to remind him that this was new territory for them.

“Don’t worry,” Kay propped himself up clumsily and kissed him, quick and dirty, “I intend to make up for lost time.” Kay delighted in the flush that crept into Marc’s cheeks, but it was his smile that Kay had really been after. Marc beamed at him and surged forward to return his kiss, taking care to push him gently back on the bed, relieving the pressure on his aching torso.

“Slow down,” Marc chuckled into the kiss, “you maniac.” He looked up and caught sight of the clock. “Shit, is that the time?”

Kay glanced at it: half past eight. “How long do you have?”

“About an hour. I have to be home to pick up Benno by ten.” Marc smirked and gave Kay a quick peck before he launched himself from the bed. “This is perfect,” he circled around the bed to help Kay out of it, “It’s just enough time for me to draw you a bath.”

“A bath?” Kay stifled a groan, not wanting to let on how sore he still was. “Will you be joining me in this bath?”

Marc chuckled and threw Kay’s arm over his shoulder, “Not this time.” They made their way down the hall and into the bathroom. “I’m going to see what I can scrounge together for breakfast.”

Kay laughed and his ribs immediately complained, “Good luck. It’s pretty slim pickings in there.”

“I’ll just have to get creative,” Marc winked and turned on the water. He turned to help Kay out of his clothes. Each inch of Kay’s skin Marc exposed had a sobering effect, until the gush of the running water was the only sound. The bruises had turned darker overnight and Marc ghosted his hands over them. “That’s good,” his voice shook, but only just noticeably, “It means they’re starting to heal.”

Kay stood in front of Marc, completely naked, but he didn’t mind despite the mangled state of his body. He liked the way Marc looked at him, with equal parts awe and concern; it had been a long time he’d been this vulnerable with someone. Not since they’d last seen each other, Kay realized. Marc closed the distance between them and held Kay while the water rose.

* * *

Kay sighed as the initial sting faded from his various cuts and the warm water embraced his screaming muscles. He could hear distant banging and clanking coming from the kitchen. He was genuinely curious to see what Marc would come up with. Kay hadn’t gone food shopping in weeks - he usually just picked something up on his way home from work, at least on the nights he came home. He did his best to spend as little time as possible here. Kay hated this apartment, he hated this town. He missed his old apartment with its cool blue walls and wide, open balcony. Which was strange, since he’d always led a somewhat rootless life, never staying in one place too long. When he’d moved to join Marc’s unit, he had never expected to become so attached. (Admittedly that probably had less to do with his apartment than it did Marc.) Usually when he moved into a new place, it was just another place, a fresh start, but somewhere along the line Kay had realized he was actively avoiding going home. This meant he spent a lot more time working late and a lot more time in clubs - both of which contributed to his attack last night.

Although he’d tried not to overthink it, Kay knew that his reluctance to settle into this apartment was a direct result of how he’d left things with Marc. Their story was unfinished and despite his best efforts, Kay couldn’t move on until it was. He’d started thinking about what he’d do if he ever ran into Marc again, and then recently he’d considered tracking him down and confronting him. But every time he’d gone to look him up, he’d lost his nerve, envisioning Marc happy with his picture perfect family. He had liked to imagine that when he saw Marc he’d have his shit together, but here was Marc, seeing Kay at his absolute lowest.

Kay shivered; the water had cooled. He drained the tub, stood cautiously, and gingerly wrapped himself in a towel. He crossed to the mirror and winced at his reflection. The bruises on his cheek and around his stitches had turned a sickly yellow at the edges. A good sign, like Marc had said, but not very appealing to look at. If he’d run into Marc just one day earlier he’d have been the picture of health. He shrugged off his worries - nothing he could do about it now - and padded down the hall. Still lost in thought, Kay pulled on soft sweat pants and a cotton t-shirt. He made his way to the kitchen and couldn’t help barking out a laugh when he saw what Marc had laid out on the table.

Marc jumped - his back had been to Kay - and spilled the hot coffee he’d been pouring into mugs. “Shit!” he swore, waving his hand to rid himself of the scalding beverage.

Kay laughed in earnest at the ridiculous image before him. Marc quickly recovered and set the mugs on the table with a sheepish smile, completing the place settings. “Sir…” he said, pulling out the chair for Kay to sit.

Kay just shook his head in disbelief and took his seat. On each plate was a roll, presumably stale, a small piece of cheese that was oddly shaped where mold had been cut out, a few withered tomatoes, and a fried egg.

“What a spread,” Kay smiled, “although I’m not sure those eggs were still good.”

Marc sat down opposite him and shook out his napkin dramatically, “We’ll find out, won’t we?”

They ate in silence, grinning over their barely palatable meal. Despite all the turmoil that had led them there, everything seemed okay in the moment.

Kay put down his fork, reached for his coffee, and cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking about our predicament.”

Marc’s eyebrows rose, “What’s that?”

“And I think I have a solution,” Kay continued in lieu of an explanation. Marc nodded for him to proceed. “I think I have to go.”

Marc frowned, “I thought you didn’t have to work today.”

“No,” Kay chuckled, “I mean I have to move. You’re right, I can’t stay here anymore.” Kay gauged Marc’s reaction, watching the emotions warring on his face: pride that Kay was taking care of himself, sadness at the thought of him moving farther away.

“Where will you go?”

“I was thinking Frankfurt,” Kay tried to sound nonchalant.

“Why can’t you just move back to Ludwigsburg?” Marc reached for Kay.

Kay gripped his hand and looked up at him, “I think you know the answer to that.” Marc shook his head, but couldn’t quite find the words. “This could be good for us,” Kay insisted, “It’s only a few hours by train, so you can still come and visit me. This way you can have time with Benno when I’m not around. And I think Bettina will be more willing to accept us together if I’m farther away.”

“Kay,” Marc exhaled, “we _just_ got back together.”

“And we still can be,” Kay promised him. “When we’re together, we’ll be together, a couple. And when we’re not… well, we can-”

“I don’t want to see anyone else,” Marc blurted out, “only you.”

Kay breathed a sigh of relief. “Neither do I. Besides,” he smirked, “sleeping with random guys hasn’t been working out great for me lately.”

Marc grinned, “You forget, I was once just a random guy you slept with.”

Kay looked Marc straight in the eye, “Marc, you were never random. I wanted you from the moment I saw you.”

The two sat in stunned silence, hands still clasped together, both in awe of each other and the situation in which they’d found themselves. Marc broke the spell, “Shit I have to go.” He rose from the table and began hastily clearing the dishes.

“Leave it,” Kay stood as well.

“Are you sure?”

Kay backed Marc against the sink and gently removed the plate from his hand, “Absolutely.” Kay cupped Marc’s jaw with both hands and kissed him, deep and slow. He pressed his body against Marc’s, ignoring its complaints. Marc moaned softly into him as his hands landed on their familiar perches on Kay’s hips.

“When can I see you again?” Marc whispered when they broke apart, eyes still closed.

“Wednesday?” Kay nipped at his ear.

“No good. Saturday?”

Kay placed one last kiss on his lips. “It’s a date,” he said smiling.

Marc grinned and stood gazing at Kay for a moment before excusing himself to collect his things. Kay leaned against the counter chuckling softly at the amazing absurdity of life.

* * *

A knock on the door broke Kay’s focus. He abandoned the box he’d been struggling to tape shut and was down the hall in three strides. He flung open the door to reveal Marc, wringing his hands nervously and pacing the landing. Kay threw himself into Marc’s arms, wrapping him in a tight hug. Kay pulled away before Marc could truly return the embrace, but his hand found Marc’s and he led him through the door. “Nosey neighbors,” he explained with a smirk. Marc began to reply, but Kay pushed him against the wall and silenced him with a bruising kiss. He shut the door, making sure to lock it this time, and the two stumbled down the hall while clumsily touching as much of each other as possible. When they made it to the bedroom, much to Kay’s dismay, Marc broke the kiss. “You’re packed already?” he asked, breathless, “When are you moving?”

Kay continued mouthing at Marc’s neck, not ready to give up contact for conversation. He’d been looking forward to seeing Marc all week long and had half convinced himself he wouldn’t show.  “Next week.”

“So soon?” Marc spun around to survey the boxes packed and stacked against the wall and Kay was forced to admit defeat.

“A friend knew of a place opening up and well, I was pretty much packed already,” Kay sighed and sat on the bed. “I never really settled into this place. I told you I was going to move.”

Marc frowned, “Yes, but I didn’t realize it would happen so quickly.” He joined Kay on the bed. “I thought we’d have more time.”

Kay took his hand, “We have today. What does it matter if I’m twenty minutes away or two hours away if we can only see each other every two weeks?” He smiled, “Look at it this way, you get out of helping me move since you have Benno next weekend.”

Marc chuckled, “I knew he was good for something.”

“Let’s enjoy the time we do have,” Kay inched closer to Marc as they turned to face each other, “and the next time you see me, I’ll be settled in my new place.” He placed a soft kiss on Marc’s brow, “It’ll be just for us.”

Marc shivered slightly under Kay’s touch and nodded. Kay removed Marc’s jacket and ran his hands under Marc’s shirt, loving the smooth planes beneath his fingertips, the soft sighs Marc made. Marc leaned forward to capture Kay’s lips with his own. Kay couldn’t remember a kiss ever feeling like this with someone else; so familiar, yet deeply unknowable, so right but so vulnerable. He was laid bare under Marc’s gaze and made whole by his touch.

Marc lifted Kay’s shirt over his head, “Your bruises are healing nicely.”

“No more talking,” Kay shushed and gripped his jaw to kiss Marc deeply. He closed his eyes and submitted to the wave of desire that engulfed them both. Kay rid Marc of his shirt and leaned forward to resume their kiss. He climbed up to straddle Marc’s lap, lost in the feeling of Marc’s skin against his own and ground ever so slightly into him. It felt amazing, but Marc’s stifled moans did more for Kay than the friction ever could, sending shocks of lightning straight to his groin. He moved his hips faster and harder, pushing Marc down to lie on the bed beneath him. Kay sat up to undo Marc’s belt buckle and Marc whined softly when Kay rolled off of him. Kay knelt on the floor to strip Marc of his pants, but when Kay stroked his way up Marc’s legs and positioned himself between his thighs, Marc sat up abruptly.

“Kay,” Marc huffed, “what’re you doing? Get back up here you idiot.”

Kay shook his head and grinned, “It’s been months since I’ve been down here - I almost forget what you taste like.”

Kay glimpsed Marc’s blush before he ducked back down and mouthed at Marc through his briefs. From the sounds Marc was making, Kay could tell he had his head thrown back, but he resisted the overwhelming urge to look up and hooked his thumbs in Marc’s waistband. Kay pulled his briefs down swiftly and felt his breath catch momentarily as Marc finally sat naked in front of him. Kay licked teasingly up Marc’s shaft, running his tongue along the underside. He licked at his slit and Marc’s hand rose to clutch at the back of his head, spurring Kay on. Kay snaked his hands around Marc’s hips and cupped Marc’s cheeks to pull him closer. Kay massaged him slightly as he began bobbing up and down. Marc gasped and tugged at the short hairs at Kay’s nape. Kay kept a steady rhythm, making sure to tease Marc’s head each time he rose up.

“Fuck, Kay,” Marc sounded absolutely wrecked, “I’m not going to last long.”

Marc’s voice got Kay so hot that he moaned against Marc’s dick, eliciting another strangled “ _Fuck!_ ” from Marc.

“Kay stop-” Marc gasped, “Stop - I’m going to come! _Kay!_ ”

Kay heard the urgency in Marc’s voice that was not based in pleasure alone. He released Marc with a slight _pop_ and looked up panting. “What’s wrong?” Kay asked, wiping his mouth, “Are you alright?”

“I’m okay,” Marc exhaled, breathing deep to back himself away from the edge. “I just don’t - I don’t want-”

“You don’t want to come?” Kay asked, perplexed.

Marc shook his head, “No - not like this.” He reached for Kay and pulled him up to lie next to him on the bed. Marc breathed hard against him, his body trembled slightly from having been so close. “I want this to be different,” Marc explained, “When we were together before, we always had to get off quick, but we don’t have to hide anymore. I want to do it right this time. I want to go slow.”

Kay still wasn’t entirely sure he understood what Marc wanted, but he nodded anyway. He’d never been the “go slow” type, but he wasn’t about to tell Marc that. At this point, if Marc had told him he wanted to have sex on the fucking moon, Kay would’ve agreed.

Marc must have sensed his hesitation, because he kissed Kay soft and slow, moving his body to hover over Kay’s. “Relax,” he whispered as he removed Kay’s pants, “we’ve got nothing but time. Let me show you.”

Marc kissed him deeply and trailed down Kay’s torso. His fingers scratched lightly down his back, his chest, his thighs, blazing long, winding trails across his body that burned deliciously. Marc doubled back to lick along the marks he’d made. Kay gasped and moaned at the new sensations Marc was giving him.

“Good?” Marc checked in.

“Y-yes,” Kay stammered, “Don’t stop.”

Marc chuckled and aligned his body to lie directly on top of Kay’s. He licked up Kay’s jawline and, although their erections were painfully obvious in this position, Marc ignored them and reached down instead to cup Kay’s balls. He tugged and massaged them gently while his tongue licked up into the shell of Kay’s ear. Kay moaned at the combined stimulation - where had Marc learned this shit? - and ground his hips up into Marc, desperately seeking friction.

“Marc, _please_ ,” he begged. Marc seemed to understand his plea and moved lower, but to Kay’s frustration he still avoided the area Kay felt needed the most attention.

“I’m going to open you up,” Marc said. “Do you have any lube?” Kay nearly laughed in surprise. Wordlessly, he reached for his bedside drawer and extracted the bottle of lube. The change in Marc had left Kay speechless - was this the same man who’d fucked him in the rain against his car?

“Thanks,” Marc took the bottle and coated his fingers.

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” Kay asked from his position on the bed.

Marc smiled, “Just wait.”

Kay chuckled, “With bated breath.”

Marc trailed his thumb slowly over Kay’s hole. Kay moaned and threw his head back, arching against the feeling.

“Still good?”

“Mhmm,” was all Kay could manage.

Marc continued, circling Kay’s hole with just his thumb, making sure it was nice and slick before inserting his index finger. Once there was no resistance, Marc added a second finger and scissored them to stretch Kay’s hole.

“Ready for another?”

Kay nodded breathlessly and Marc fucked him with three fingers, slow at first, but building up speed. Kay moaned louder as he grew more desperate. “Fuck me,” he begged, “please Marc - _fuck_!” Marc had curved his fingers slightly and hit his prostate. Kay yelped and clutched the sheets, he wasn’t going to last long.

Marc removed his hand and reached for the bedside drawer again. He quickly put a condom over his painfully hard erection and covered it generously with lube. Marc placed one of Kay’s legs over his shoulder and lined himself up with Kay’s hole. Marc gripped Kay’s hips to steady himself. The urge to thrust into Kay’s tight, wet heat was overwhelming, but Marc forced himself to go slowly. Marc inched forward to Kay’s chorus of _fuck, fuck, fuck_ , until he was in up to the base of his cock. Kay felt so full, and with Marc leaning over him, his scent all around him, it was almost too much, but he needed friction. “ _Move_ ,” Kay urged Marc.

Marc didn’t hesitate. He pulled out slightly and thrust forward, setting a slow but bruising rhythm. Kay moaned on each thrust, unable to stifle his cries. Marc raised his other leg, so that both of Kay’s knees were hooked over his shoulders. The change in angle meant that Marc hit Kay’s prostate. He screamed in pleasure, “Fuck! Right there, don’t stop, _fuck_ Marc!” Marc fucked into him, hitting his spot over and over until Kay went rigid and came in thick ropes across his torso. Marc fucked Kay through his orgasm until he couldn’t hold out anymore and succumbed to his own climax.

Marc collapsed on top of Kay, completely spent. Kay winced briefly when Marc pulled out and discarded the condom. Marc curled into him, both were sweaty and sticky, but too blissed out to care.

“Fuck,” was all Kay could say, “Who taught you that?”

Marc blushed and stammered.

“Whoever he is, I should thank him.” Kay pulled Marc into him so his head rested against his shoulder. “I mean, I thought the sex was good before, but _damn_ …”

Marc sighed contentedly. “Next time,” he said sleepily, “I want you to fuck me.” 

Kay laughed, “I thought you'd never ask.”


End file.
